Biopsych: Split brain research

Question 1

Procedure

Answer 1

Images/words projected quickly in the right/left visual field
Sperry investigated whether patients could describe the object/pick up the object they had seen
This gave an indication of which hemisphere was responsible for various functions

Question 2

Roger Sperry (1968)

Answer 2

Researched hemispheric lateralisation

A unique group of individuals were used who had all undergone a commissurotomy

Question 3

Hemispheric lateralisation

Answer 3

The idea that the two hemispheres of the brain are functionally different

Question 4

Commissurotomy

Answer 4

Corpus callosum has been cut to control epileptic seizures - there is no communication between the two hemispheres

Question 5

Conclusion

Answer 5

The language centre is in the left side of the brain
The right hemisphere recognises faces
The right hemisphere controls spatial construction on the left side of the body and vice versa

Question 6

Strengths of Sperry’s research

Answer 6

Paved the way for a large amount of further research into split-brains
The design of the experiment used specialised and standardised procedures
Sperry’s work promoted a theoretical and philosophical debate about the degree of communication between the two hemispheres

Question 7

Weaknesses of Sperry’s research

Answer 7

Only 11 people took part in the procedure, all of whom had a history of epileptic seizures
Sometimes the distinction between the two hemispheres is overemphasised